What's Going On Here?
by kitty-kat204
Summary: After 5 years Jason's back. This Story is set five years after the PCH fire.
1. Proluge

Prologue 

There were so many questions running through Jason Morgan's head as he rode his motorcycle back into his hometown of Port Charles, New York. Would they want to see me? Would they be happy to see me? Was coming back the right choice? Why am I even back?

Jason wasn't sure about most of the answers, but he knew the reason he had come back. He was back to watch over his family and take care of some business. Though he had been gone for so long he knew that he had to do this.

When he had left town five years ago, after the death of his wife, he had cut all ties and had never planned on coming back. That had been his plan, but things don't always work out like you plan them.

A week ago he had received a phone call from the only person he still talked to that lived in Port Charles, his sister Emily. She had told him that his old business partner and his wife had been in a car accident. The wife, Carly, had died almost instantly and his former business partner, Sonny, was still in ICU and doctors weren't sure if he would ever come out of his coma. Though Jason had not spoken to Sonny in the time that he had been gone, he knew what had to be done and that's why he had hopped on his bike and headed home.

Jason pulled into the parking garage of the Harborview Towers, got off his bike, onto the elevator and headed up to the penthouse floor. So many memories were floating around in Jason's head. This was not where he wanted to be right now, but he had an obligation to fulfill.

When Jason stepped off the elevator he was greeted by a man he did not recognize, but like all of Sonny's guards he was dressed in an expensive Italian suite. "Can I help you?" the man asked him.

Jason assumed this was a new bodyguard that Sonny must have hired, but he was curious as to where the men who he knew guarded the door were at. Where were Max and Francis? And..." Where's Johnny?" Jason asked out loud.

"Johnny who?"

"Who's in charge here?'

"Who are you to be asking such questions?"

Jason was now very annoyed with this man's questions, he had neither the time nor the energy to play this man's games. So, Jason did what he always did, he turned into Jason Morgan the Borg.

"Look," he said getting up in the man's face with his gun in hand, "you're going to tell me who's in charge, and then you're going to tell them that I'm here, and then you're going to let me in that door." For effect Jason took the gun and pointed it at the door.

The man backed away from Jason, knocked on the door and waited for an answer. Jason was surprised to see a teenage boy, of about 15, answer the door. The young kid was dressed in a baby blue polo shirt and fitted blue jeans. The kid was a red head and Jason knew right away who he was.

"What is it, Adam?"

"This man is here to see your Uncle, Michael." Adam said pointing to Jason.

Uncle? Who was his Uncle? What the hell was going on here? Were the questions now going through Jason's mind.

Michael looked at the man in jeans and a leather jacket as if he were stuck in some sort of dream, a distant memory of sorts. How long had he hoped that he would come back to town? Jason had been his hero and he had abandoned him. Jason was a god to him and he left without as much as a good bye. Though Jason was once so much to the boy now he was nothing more then the cause of all his problems, or at least that's what he told himself.

"What do you want Jason?" Michael asked him bitterly

"I heard what happened to your parents. I'm here to help." Jason wasn't sure, but three was something different about this boy. He was not the sweet, innocent kid he had left behind five years ago.

"We don't need your help." Came a voice from behind Michael. "I've got everything under control, Morgan. So you can leave town again and never come back this time."

Jason could hardly believe his eyes, was that really Ric Lancing? What was he doing in Sonny's penthouse? What the hell was going on? Jason looked at Michael for some answers, but he was no help.

"What are you doing here, Ric?" Jason asked, his eyes turning icy cold at the man who had ruined so many lives of the people he had loved, including his wife's.

"I'm taking care of my family, that is until my brother gets out of the hospital."

"Since when have you called Sonny your brother?"

"You've been gone along time, Morgan, thing's change. Not that it's any of your business, but Sonny and I have been on good terms for nearly three years now." Ric looked very satisfied with himself about delivering such news to Jason. This only made Jason madder, but like always he never let it show. "We're finished now." Ric commanded. "I suggest you leave or I'll have my men through you out."

Jason wanted nothing more than to put a bullet through that man's head, but the red headed teen caught his eye. Michael was looking at Jason with very sad eyes, some of the saddest eyes he had ever seen. So deciding not to start anything Jason got back onto the elevator and headed back to his bike

When the doors to the elevator closed he took of his icy mask and put his gun back into its proper place. Jason just stood for a minute and ran a hand over his face. What the hell was going on? Was the now all too important question that was going through his head.


	2. Five Years Erlier

Author's Notes: ok so here's the deal I had someone ask about Michael's age and where she is probably right, I'm going to make him 15 in my story, cause come on this is Soap Opera Land where everyone's ages are always a mystery. Ok this is set back during the time of the fire at the P.C. Hotel. By the way I disclaim all characters and places, cause they don't belong to me. 

5 Years Earlier

Jason stood outside the burning building feeling more helpless then he could ever remember in his life. Somehow he had managed to escape the flames, and find his way to safety, but when he had come out he learned that Carly, Sonny, and Courtney were still inside of the hotel.

He had tried to go back into the fire but the firemen had stopped him and held him back, saying it was to dangerous for him to go in. That didn't stop him though, he kept trying to get to them that was until Ric Lancing decided to have one of his officers put him in handcuffs and secure them to a lamp post.

He couldn't stand it, he had to help them. Ric had no right to do this. That was his family in there and Ric had stopped him from going back in there to help them. Didn't he understand that standing by and watching was doing nothing for Jason, that it was killing Jason not to be in there searching for them. Jason didn't care if he came out of the building dead or alive, so long as he knew he had done everything he could to try and help those he loved.

Jason surveyed the crowed outside the fire in hopes of finding someone who might help him. He saw Lucky Spencer talking on a radio, Bobbie Spencer, his aunt, was standing close by him with a worried look on her face. He saw Maxie Jones walking with a stretcher and paramedics toward an ambulance. He had overheard that it was Mac Scorpio that was on the stretcher. He saw Ric ordering around some officers and then she burst through the crowed and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck.

She was okay! Jason was overjoyed that she was okay and safe. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her; she just seemed to put him totally at ease. Though he didn't show it on the outside he was smiling, because she was safe.

Jason noticed that she was nibbling on her lower lip, as she often did when she was nervous. She looked back at her husband and kept putting her hands on his arm. He could tell that she had been worried about him. Why did she care so much about him, all he had ever done was hurt her and yet here she was making sure that he was safe. Jason still didn't understand why Elizabeth had ever gotten involved with Ric.

It had been months since Jason had really seen Elizabeth Webber Lancing, and he noticed that she had grown in the abdomen. Emily had told him that Elizabeth was expecting, but seeing her now with a life growing inside of her just made her all the more beautiful.

His eyes met hers then and for a brief moment they had a conversation without words. She walked over to him and didn't even try to hide the fact that she was worried about the people inside. "Why are you handcuffed to the lamp post, Jason?"

"I tried to go back into the fire."

If possible Elizabeth's face showed even more worry in it. "Why would you do something like that? Are you crazy? Do you want to get yourself killed?"

"They're still in there Elizabeth. I have to help them. It's killing me to be out here while they're still trapped in there." Jason's eyes were pleading with her for some help. He needed her to help him get to his family, she was the only one here he trusted.

Elizabeth walked away without a word. She had gone over to Lucky and was talking with him. Jason watched as she slipped her hand into his pocket and boosted a key to the handcuffs. He had no idea she knew how to do that. The little things still surprised him.

She walked back over to him with a smirk on her face. She wasn't sure what it was the compelled her to help him. Maybe she felt like she owed him one, because of all the times he had helped her when she needed it or maybe it just felt right to help him. She just hoped she wouldn't regret it later

"Where did you learn that?"

"Learn what?"

"To pick a pocket."

"You don't date a Spencer for almost 3 years and not pick up a few tricks." she had a glow in her eyes as she spoke. It was a glow that Jason hadn't seen in awhile, a glow that he had missed. What was it about this woman that always got to him? Here he was going in to rescue the woman he loved, but standing outside with Elizabeth almost made him forget. _We always seem to be together in the end _he thought.

His thoughts were interrupted by her voice, "Lucky said that Carly and Sonny are in the Versailles Room with everyone else waiting on the helicopter. The winds have almost died down so they should be on the ground in fifteen minutes or so."

She reached down and undid the handcuff from the lamp post. "What about Courtney?" he asked.

"I didn't know she was in there. Lucky didn't say anything about her." By this time he was free from his restraints and headed to an entrance that led inside the building. But what Jason and Elizabeth had failed to notice was that Ric had already gone inside.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jason had been searching every floor feverishly in hopes of finding Courtney, but so far he had had no luck. Where was she? Was she safe? Why couldn't he find her? There were so many questions and all that mattered was finding her and making sure she was ok

Jason entered the stairwell once again after searching yet another empty floor. That was when he heard several voices arguing above him, one of the voices he recognized as Courtney's. Thank God she was ok. Jason went slowly up the stairs listening intently to the argument.

"Move Officer Beck, I'm not telling you again." Jason heard a man's voice

"You don't want to do this. He's already injured and more then likely to die. If you do this you are no better then he is."

"This is the man that shot you; he has terrorized this town long enough. I'm ending it tonight."

"Zander didn't shoot Brian, Ric. I did." Jason heard Courtney confess. "So please help us get him upstairs and to safety." Jason could hear the pleading in her voice for Ric to help her and Brian with Zander.

"I don't care about that. I only care about my family and right now Zander Smith is compromising my family. My wife lives in fear of him and what he may do."

That statement struck Jason as odd, he knew that Elizabeth and Zander weren't the best of friends, but they had also gotten along and they seemed to look out for one another. Why would Ric say that Zander was terrorizing Elizabeth? Maybe Faith put him up to it?

"Lower your weapon Mr. Lancing." Brian commanded.

"Not till I do what I came in here to do." Jason had heard and seen Ric like this before when he went after Sonny and had taken him to the house on Martha's Vineyard. Jason had wished he had his gun with him to help Brian take him down.

Jason stood just a deck below the commotion and could see the whole scene. Courtney was leaning against the wall with a very injured and blooding man next to her, Brian was standing in front of them, shielding them from Ric. Both men had their weapons drawn and had perfect aim for their target.

"I said move." Ric told Brian. And with that he fired his gun at the man.

"No." he head Courtney scream. She let go of Zander and ran to Brian, but Ric had already fired his gun once again and this time he hit Courtney. Jason was up the stairs in a flash and punched Ric and sent him flying down the stairs knocking the man unconscious.

"Courtney?" Jason said kneeling next to his wife, "wake up, come on Courtney wake up and show me those blue eyes of yours." Jason had tears in his eyes. This was the first time since he had lost Michael that he had cried.

Brian Beck was on his feet and helping to steady Zander, but his attention was on the bleeding blond. "How is she?" Jason didn't bother to answer the man's question but instead picked up the gun that Ric had dropped and went down the stairs after the man.

Ric had been heading down the stairs since he had gained consciousness. He knew that what he had just done was probably the stupidest thing he had done, even stupider then what he had done to Carly during the summer. He knew that Jason would not rest until he had his vengeance. Ric could hear thunderous footsteps behind him and knew who they belonged to without having to look.

Ric ducked into one of the floors in hopes of loosing Jason. He began to check all of the doors for a place to hide, but so far all the doors were locked. All he wanted to do was make sure that Zander hadn't gotten out of the building alive, so he couldn't take the baby.

Ric heard the door from the stairwell close. Damn he cuirsed to himself. He needed a place to hide. He had to be there for Elizabeth when the baby was born and well to be truthful he was too much of a selfish bastard to die right now.

Jason could see Ric scurrying around franticly looking for a place to hide. How could Jason have let this happen? He should have charged up the stairs the minute he heard Courtney's voice. Why? Why hadn't he done that? It didn't matter now though; now all that mattered was making Ric pay.

In the back of Jason's mind he saw Elizabeth's face and the way she had thrown her arms around Ric's neck. He also saw her at profile and the growth in her stomach made him think even more. Could he take this man's life when he was about to be a father?

Jason looked down the hall at Ric who was at a dead end. Jason didn't know what he was doing but he kept walking towards Ric. The fire had all but taken the floor out from under the two men, but that hadn't stopped Jason in his determination to want to hurt Ric.

"Jason it was an accident. She jumped in front of the gun. I was just trying to get rid of Zander. He was hurting Elizabeth. I know you can understand what I had to do. You used to care about her. You have to know that I had a need to protect her and my family."

"Well, then let's just say I'm protecting mine." Jason aimed the gun for Ric, but never had the chance to fire it. At that moment the floor collapsed beneath them and sent the men into the hell that blazed below them.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jason woke hours later in a hospital room. He wasn't sure how he had gotten there, all he knew was that his head was killing him. He was afraid to open his eyes, but needed to do it. The room was empty,heard voices outside. They belonged to his father and Sonny.

"I think he has a right to know what happened to her." he heard Alan say

"He will know, but I want to wait till he's better. There is no use in telling him now, it will only worry him. I know Jason, and he'll blame himself for this. He doesn't need her life on his head."

"I think he can handle this. It's better to tell him now, so he has time to process everything before the..." He was cut off by Sonny's angry voice.

"You don't get it. He loves her, as much as I don't want him to sometimes he does. If he finds out what happened to her it will kill him. For so long she's been his rock and the last thing I'm going to tell him is that his rock is gone. I can't do that, not now, not while he's stuck in this hospital. I promise I will tell him, but not now. Now if you'll excuse me I've have to make some arrangements."

Jason sat in his bed in utter shock. Courtney was dead. He didn't need anyone to tell him that after he had overhead the conversation between the two men. She was dead. He then began to beat himself up by asking the same question over and over again, why?

Jason looked over himself and saw that he only had a few scraps, but nothing to serious. He stood up from the bed. He wasn't sure what he was going to do but he grabbed his clothes, got dressed and headed out the door. He looked around the emergency room and saw Elizabeth sitting with someone, but he noticed it wasn't Ric.

Jason gave his brain a shake and headed to the door. Who cares anymore? I'm gone; I'm done with this town and with this place. I'm through, and with that Jason made up his mind to leave Port Charles forever without a word to anyone.


	3. Tears In Her Eyes

Chapter 3 

The water had a calming effect on her. Whenever she felt over whelmed she seemed to always find herself sitting down by the docks. Today she didn't feel very overwhelmed, but rather unsettled. Something seemed off, even though she wasn't able to name it.

Elizabeth sat on the bench near the docks looking out towards the water thinking about life. For the last five years, life had been almost perfect. She was happily married, had two beautiful daughters, was living in her dream home and even had a great job. Everything was close to perfection, now she was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. It was always like that, once she was happy and life was perfect something bad would happen causing the world she loved to fall apart.

For as long as she could remember, it was like that, even as a little girl. She remembered around the time that she had first noticed it, she was six and Sarah was eight. Both girls wanted to take ice-skating lessons, so their parents signed them up. Ice-skating came naturally to Elizabeth, and she loved it. It made her happy to be on the ice, but unfortunately for her Sarah wasn't so good at it. Sarah threw a temper tantrum at her parents a few weeks after they started the lesson and she refused to go anymore. Her parents decided to take both girls out of the lessons.

That was probably around the time that Lizzie started to show herself. Elizabeth for the most part kept her at bay and would allow her parents and sister to dump on her, even though secretly she hated it. But she let them do it anyway, because no matter how mean and horrible they were Steven was always there sticking up for her.

Elizabeth really missed her brother, so much so that sometimes she would find herself crying when she thought about him. His death had been so unexpected. One minute he was in his room talking to her about his big date with a girl named Cathy, the next minute the cops came to the door and told her and her family that there had been an accident involving a drunk driver. Steven had never even made it to his high school graduation.

There were so many things that she wished she could have told him before he had left. She was so grateful to him and she loved him so much. He had been the one to raise her, not their parents. He had been the one to teach her right from wrong. He was the one that believed in her and always told her to follow her dreams. He was the one that always let her be herself and never judged her like the rest of her family. Elizabeth felt tears now as she thought about Steven, but didn't have the will to wipe them away.

Lizzie had come out completely once Steven was gone. Though she wasn't the real Elizabeth, well not completely, she still was happy and having fun with who she was. Her parents dropped the bomb then. Not more then three months after Steven's death they shipped her and Sarah to Port Charles to live with her grandmother. Elizabeth remembered how much she fought with both her grandmother and parents to let her go home to Colorado. They never agreed and she was forced to settle into life in New York.

She had found it easy to be swept away in a crush on Lucky Spencer, even though he had eyes for Sarah. He seemed to be everything she wanted, and in a way he reminded her a little of Steven. When he had asked her to go to the Valentine's Day dance with him she remembered feeling so happy she could scream, she was almost feeling like she had been before Steven left. The night of the dance, however, she found no happiness. Not only had Lucky ditched her, but she lost her innocence that night, because that was the night of the rape.

At that time she didn't feel much of anything. She had become a shell of who she was. Even Lizzie had gone back somewhere deep down in her. She had become afraid of everyone and everything, but through it all she had found a guardian angle, and he had shown her that love was still out there. Lucky and her had somehow fallen in love with one another and they had found happiness. They had begun to plan the rest of their lives with one another and had even put a permanent lock on their hearts for one another. That was before the fire when like Lucky's building, her life, went up in smoke.

That was the night that the Lucky she knew and loved had died. To this day she could still feel the heat of the flames on her face, could hear the words that Taggert had said to her, she could still feel Sonny's arms around her as she fell back sobbing with grief, and Sonny's words and actions as he tried to comfort her. Elizabeth felt even more tears spring to her eyes and once again made no effort to wipe them away.

Elizabeth remembered going through the motions of life for the next several months. She tried to show people she had gotten over it, that she was strong and happy when deep down she was dying with her grief. In those first months without Lucky only one person seemed to see right through her act. He had somehow looked inside of her and understood that she was not herself. He listened to her and took her on her first motorcycle ride. She still longed to be on the back of that bike, sometimes, with the wind blowing all her troubles away.

He was somehow the only person that got through to her, even though they were practically strangers at first. In those few short months they had known each other he had become her best friend. Though the tears were still coming and she was crying she felt a smile grace her lips at the memories of Jason. She had found it so easy to talk to Jason, even more then she had with Lucky. He let her let down her guard, much like Steven had. She had begun to feel happy again, that was until she found Jason in the snow bleeding to death.

When she had found him, she was so afraid that he was going to die and she knew that if he had died she would have died with him. She had already lost the most important people in her life and if Jason was gone she wouldn't be able to handle it. The what if thought brought more tears to her eyes. God had thrown her a bone that day by allowing Jason to live. She had taken him back to her art studio and had helped him get better; she let out a small chuckle, and fed him gallons of soup. Even though everyone thought that he was taking advantage of her, she felt happy, a happiest she hadn't felt since before the fire or Steven. It didn't last long though, Jason left town a few weeks later.

When Jason had left, she did as she promised him she would and began to live life again. She had come to grips with not having Lucky in her life and she was very slowly even beginning to deal with the grief of Steven's death. Life was slowly getting better and then news of Lucky being alive came. Happiness wasn't even the word that described the feeling inside of her.

But once Lucky came back, she was anything but happy. Now looking back in hindsight she knew that none of it was his fault, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt at the time. Someone had played with his mind and he felt it was ok to play with her mind. First he would tell her to be with Nikolas, and then they thought they had beaten it and had planned to get married. She found out a few minutes before the ceremony he was only doing it out of obligation rather then love. After that they tried to date and be friends, but the night she saw him with her sister, she knew they would never get back to where they were before the fire and that her Lucky was dead forever. More tears fell.

Jason had come back and her life seemed to be going back on track, they had even promised one night to stop playing games and try to figure out what was really between them, because it was obviously more then a friendship. That night she tried to sleep, but her happiness kept her awake. The next day however it was as if they had never even talked. He started avoiding her, not coming home at nights, not calling to let her know that he was ok, and even stopped talking to her completely, but most importantly he stopped trusting her.

She left after that, she could take him not coming home, not calling or talking to her, but once he stopped trusting her she couldn't take it. If nothing else she always thought that she would have his trust, much like to this day she still trusted him, but she had no such luck. In the end the friendship that they had built had been destroyed from lack of trust. They had been led to different paths, Jason was led to Courtney and she was led to Ric.

There were times when she would wonder about the what ifs with Jason, especially when things with Ric were at their worst. That summer when she and Ric were fist married was the worst, what with him locking Carly up in their house, and both he and Faith putting her in the hospital. Elizabeth began to cry more as she thought about the worst time in her life and how she had turned her back on everyone but a man that didn't deserve her trust and understanding. Just then a what if popped in her head.

Sure, things would have been different with Jason, but would she have her little girls? That was what kept her from thinking about what ifs now, her girls, a smile came to her face as she placed a hand on her stomach, and now her little boy. Life had been bad with Ric, and she used to wonder about Jason, but now when she looked into the eyes of her daughters or her husband's for that matter all the what ifs vanished from her mind.

She felt a hand wipe away a tear on her face, and as she looked up into the bluest of blue eyes she felt her breath catch in her throat. In the last five years since he had been gone she had not given herself time to think about him, but now that he was back standing in front of her she found it hard to think of little else. "Jason?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jason had been walking around for the last hour or so trying to figure out what had been happening since he had left before he made his way to the hospital. He was going to take the shortcut along the docks but had stopped in his tracks the minute he saw her sitting on the bench.

He had planned on backtracking and going through the park before she spotted him, but as he looked at her he noticed that she was crying. If there was one thing he couldn't stand to see it was her crying. When they had first became friends she would cry a lot about Lucky or other things and it always tore him apart, and now here she was sitting by herself crying.

He thought he saw smiles come across her face but the tears kept falling. He wanted to know why she was crying and he wanted the pain to go away. When he had left her face had been the last one he saw, but in all honesty he rarely thought about her, but seeing her now brought back all sorts of memories involving her.

Before he knew what he was doing he had walked up to her and his hand having a mind of its own reached up and brushed away the tears on her face. She looked up at him then and he noticed that her soul was still visible through her eyes, those giant, cat like orbs of sapphires. He missed those eyes.

His name escaped from her lips, he missed her, and he had missed her since the friendship had gone away. "Hi," he said as he sat next to her, "how have you been?"

Elizabeth began to wipe her own tears away now and tried her hardest to smile. "I've been real good. Life is perfect."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"I don't know, but it's true. Life really couldn't get any better. So how long have you been back?" She asked trying to change the subject away from her.

"I've only been back for about two hours. Its weird being here, every thing almost seems the same as it had when I left."

"That's the beauty about Port..." she was cut off by the ringing of her cell phone. "Excuse me." She answered it. "Hey sweetie... No I'm sitting at the docks... I should be there in a few minutes... I had to get them out before I faced everyone... They still look at me as Lizzie... I know... I know... I should be there soon...I love you too...bye." she hung up the phone and wiped away a stray tear.

She looked at Jason again and smiled "I should get going."

Jason nodded at her, but before he let her go he had to know "Why were you crying?"

Elizabeth looked a little stunned, she should have known that he would ask because that was the way he was, always the protector. Elizabeth turned to him and realized that no matter how great the distance was between the two of them she was still able to talk to him. She took a deep breath, wiped away some more tears that had fallen on her face and began to talk in a voice just barely above a whisper. "My brother died today."

If there was one subject that she and Jason never talked about it was her brother. She had told him that they were close and that he had died, but other then that he didn't know muck else. He found it funny that she was able to talk up a storm about her parents and her sister, but very rarely mentioned her brother. For once Jason wasn't sure how he was going to help her get past the pain, because she never let him in. "How long has it been?"

"12 years, he died coming back from a date. It had been a drunk driver that fell asleep at the wheel. They say he died instantly and there had been no pain. He didn't even make it to his high school graduation the next day. He had such a future ahead of him. Did you know that he had been accepted to Notre Dame and he wanted to be a doctor like our dad?" Elizabeth began to cry again, Jason tried to move closer to her but with each step he took forward she would take one back. "It's not fair Jason. I just don't get it. Why did he have to die and I got to live?" She couldn't take it anymore she began sobbing now. Jason could see that she was shaking and all he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and try to comfort her. Not really paying attention to what was going on around her Elizabeth dropped her bag spilling out the contents. When that happened she threw up her arms in defeat and bent to start picking things up.

Jason walked over to her and began to help pick up some things that had fallen out of her purse. As he was picking up her wallet he noticed that it had opened up to two pictures of two little girls. He stopped to study the pictures and realized that there was no denying that they were Elizabeth's daughters. They both had her fair skin and midnight blue eyes. The one that appeared to be the oldest had Elizabeth's chestnut wild, curly hair while the younger one had dark brown straight hair. Jason was glad to see that they didn't get any of their looks from Ric.

"Their names are Abby and Cameron." Elizabeth's voice was back to normal and she had wiped her eyes. "Abby's five now and Cam just turned three about two months ago." She had a smile on her face as she spoke about her girls.

"They're beautiful, Elizabeth." He said as he passed over her wallet and not meaning to he let his mouth keep talking "They don't look a thing like their father so do they act like him."

Elizabeth gave him a strange look and wondered why he would say such hatful things about her husband. Did he even know who she was married to know? Probably not, but did she want to tell him? "Actually Abby is a lot like her dad. I think it's because she's a daddy's girl and would do anything to please him."

"I saw him earlier when I went to the penthouse. He had this smug smile on his face and the way he threw it in my face that he and Sonny were working together made me sick."

'Why would he be at Sonny's?"

Before Jason had a chance to answer someone called out her name from the top of the stairs. They both turned to see Lucky Spencer walked down towards them. "You know everyone is sitting at Kelly's waiting on you?" He said completely ignoring Jason's presence and giving her a small kiss on her cheek. Jason also noted that he had put his arm around Elizabeth's waist and had pulled her towards him in a protective manner. Was she with Ric then or were Lucky and her back together?

"I'm sorry I was on my way up there now. Are my parents there?" Lucky shook his head. "Well I guess I will see you around if you stay in town Jason, if not goodbye." She turned with Lucky and was headed up the stairs

"See ya later, Elizabeth." He finally spoke when she had reached the top of the stairs. She turned and smiled at him, but with that she was gone. Jason rubbed at his face in frustration. How much had he missed since he had left? Elizabeth had two kids and from the looks of her was about to have another, but they weren't his kids. He shook his head with at that thought; he promised himself he wouldn't do that.

Jason, banishing all thought of Elizabeth and Lucky and their girls, got up and began to walk towards the hospital. It was time to see Sonny and get down to business that was why he had come here in the first place. He was here to do business and then leave, but he did want to know what had happened in the last five years and Sonny was going to give him his answers.


	4. Some Of The Answers

Ok so I got to ride on the back of a motorcycle for the first time last night with a really cute friend of mine and let me tell you that that really is the best feeling in the world. I mean now I know why they make Elizabeth and Jason love it so much. And just so you know the wind really does wash away everything and you really do want to spread your arms and fly, or at least I did. So if you ever get the chance to ride on one, do it.

Chapter 4

Jason stepped off of the elevator leading to the 4th floor of General Hospital about 20 minutes later. Instantly the smell of medicine and cleaning products hit his nose. He really hated hospitals. He hated the look and feel of them, but more then that he hated the smell of them. If he had a choice he would not be there now, but he had business to take care of, he had Sonny to take care of.

Jason took notice of the blond nurse behind the nurse's station of the ICU. She looked vaguely familiar to him, but a name was not coming to his mind as he looked at her face. He was trying to get down the hall before she could stop him, because he had learned over the many years that only blood relatives could visit people in ICU. Though Jason wasn't a blood related, Sonny had always called him his family; at least he had before Jason decided to leave five years ago.

Jason was just about to turn down the hall when the blond nurse called out to him. "You have to sign in before you can go down there." Crap! Did that mean that he wouldn't be able to see him since Jason wasn't a blood relative? He needed his answers and right now Sonny was the only one who could give them to Jason.

Jason was almost tempted to run down the hall and try and loose her, but he was trying to keep a low profile and she would call security if he ran. So, Jason turned around to move toward the nurse's station, but found that the blond nurse had already moved in behind him holding a clip board. She handed it over to him and he was finally able to read her name tag: Maxine Spencer. As in Maxie Jones? Why did her name tag say Spencer?

Maxie had been studying Jason since he had stepped off the elevator and had recognized him almost instantly. Since she was a little kid Jason had always dressed and looked the same. She saw the slight change in his eyes when he had read her name tag and figured he must have realized who she was "We all have to grow up sometime, Jason."

"I'm surprised that you even know who I am." The last time he had really spoken to Maxie was before he and broken things off with Robin and that was over a decade ago. She still had the same face, it was a little older, but the same none the less. Her hair was down a little ways past her shoulders and she was dressed in blue nurse's scrubs, but the thing that caught Jason's attention was the same innocent blue eyes he had seen in her when she was a little girl.

"You only dated my cousin and besides that you are Jason Morgan. Though you haven't been back here in what five years now?" She was trying to joke and be serious at the same time. It seemed that the youngster he remembered had grown into a charming young woman. He liked the adult version of Maxie.

"I'm sorry about Robin." He told her.

Maxie's face went to a frown as she thought about her cousin. Robin had lived with HIV for along time, and had finally lost the battle on May 6, 2005, that was nearly four years ago. Robin had been more then just her cousin, Robin had been the big sister that Maxie had never had, even after Robin had moved to Paris they had still been very close. "I heard you were with her when she passed. Brenda said that you were by her side for almost three days, before she finally gave in. I had actually gotten a letter from Robin a few days before she got really sick, she said that you guys had buried the hatchet and that she thought you guys were friends again."

"Yeah, we got a lot of things off our chest. I was just glad to be there for her. Maxie, I knew she was sick and all, but I always pictured her dying in her old age, not at 25." Jason remembered that he hadn't wanted to see Robin for along time after her "betrayal" but when he had left Port Charles his first stop had been Paris to see her and Brenda. He felt he owed Robin an apology for the way he had acted years before. He had only planned on staying in France for a few days and had ended up staying there for a year, living with the two women.

Trying to change the subject to a happier one, for the sake of both of them he opened his mouth "Robin never told me that you wanted to be a nurse," shifting his eyes to her name tag, "or that you had changed your name."

Maxie had followed his eyes to her name tag and smiled at the name that appeared there. "Well, I had only just begun school when Robin passed and Lucky and I have only been married for six months." Maxie smile grew even more at the mere mention of her husband. She had had such a crush on Lucky when she was younger, and had even tried to get him to notice her, but he never did. He always saw her as just a little kid, well that was until she had been in her second year at PCU.

She had walked into Kelly's one day and he started talking to her, even flirting with her. At first she thought he was just trying to be nice, but when he had asked her out she had been floored. It was as if all the dreams she had as a young teen were beginning to come true, and just like she knew they would, they became a hot item. They had waited until after she had graduated and had her degree before they got married, and now she couldn't be any happier.

Did she just say that she was married to Lucky? But wasn't he with Elizabeth, and if she wasn't married to Lucky then who was her husband and the father of her children? "I saw them together though and they looked like they were married." He accidentally said out loud.

Maxie looked at Jason in confusion. "Who did you think was married?"

He looked at Maxie and wondered about things. What if Elizabeth and Lucky were having and affair and she didn't know? He didn't want to be the one to crush Maxie's heart by telling her bad news. But Jason's need to know what had been happening in the last five years took over. "I saw him with Elizabeth Webber on the docks earlier. He had put his arm around her waist and had kissed her on the cheek." Jason felt like he was in the third grade tattling on some of his class mates.

Maxie only began to laugh at the news Jason had given her. She knew he had been gone for awhile, but it seemed as if Jason was not yet over Elizabeth. She had been at the hospital that year that Jason and Nicolas Cassidine had gotten into that fight over Elizabeth. She wanted what the two of them had. The love that they shared was so obvious, even to her at a young age. She remembered that nothing had ever really happened between the two of them and that they had both married other people, but she saw the looks that they shared every now in then at Kelly's when he would come in for a cup of coffee. They still had that spark, Maxie could only hope that she and Lucky would share their spark for many years to come and not let anything stop them from sharing their love with one another.

"Jason I can assure you that nothing is between Elizabeth and Lucky. I mean yes, he's still very protective of her, but he would never do anything to hurt me and I don't think she could ever hurt Alex like that either. And besides with Lucky and Alex working together don't you think that would be a little uncomfortable."

"Elizabeth married a cop?"

"Well, he wasn't a cop until after they had been married for awhile. He had made a lot of money working with Faith and had saved it. I think they still have a Swiss bank account out there."

"He used to work for Faith Rossco? What is she thinking about marring a guy like that?"

"He is the father of her kids. That was why they got married in the first place, they both said they wanted their little girl to know her parents, but somewhere along the way they fell in love. They have another little girl and she's about ready to have another baby within the next three months."

"Is he good to her Maxie?" Jason wasn't quite sure why he was asking so many questions about Elizabeth, but he knew he needed to know. Since they had begun their friendship he had always wanted to make sure she was happy, even if it wasn't with him.

"Are you kidding me? Alexander Lewis is, I think, the best thing that's happened to Elizabeth in the last couple of years. You know I never thought I would see the day that he got over Emily, but I was so happy that he had found his way to happiness with Elizabeth and the girls."

"Emily? Do you mean my sister? But she never dated anyone named Alexander Lewis." Jason was sure that the confusion in his voice was evident on his face.

"Oh God, that's right you knew him by Zander Smith. I completely forgot that you had left before he went back to his given name. I mean nobody's called him Zander since the fire."

"Zander? She's married to Zander Smith?' Jason was so taken aback by this new that he felt like he was about to fall down. He just couldn't picture Elizabeth with Zander. Just then a bad memory came to Jason. He had gone to check on Elizabeth the morning after the rain storm and had found her in Zander's arms. He felt even dizzier as he thought about that morning. He had been such a fool back then.

"He's changed a lot since the last time you probably saw him Jason. Like I said he works with Lucky down at the PCPD, and he's one of the best fathers I've ever seen. He would do anything for his family," and being just a little more daring Maxie continued, "and he seems to make Elizabeth real happy."

That was all he had ever wanted for her, was to be happy. He knew that what she did wasn't his business anymore anyway, other then the conversation he had just had with her, they hadn't really talked in along time. "I'm glad she's happy."

Maxie's beeper picked that time to go off. Lifting it up to see who it was she looked at Jason, "I have to take this, but Sonny's in 420. You should know that he's in poor condition and hasn't woken up since they brought him in."

Jason gave her a half smile in thanks as he handed her back the clipboard he never signed. She turned to walk away, but before she was completely gone she gave him a sad look. "I'm sorry about Carly. I knew that you and she were close friends." With that she had gone rushing down one of the many halls on the floor.

Jason turned and headed towards Sonny's hospital room. If Sonny wasn't awake how was Jason going to get his answers? He so wished he knew where Johnny and the other boys were. He wished that he would have pressed Emily for things that were happeining at home, but his conversations with her were always been brief. He would call once a month and make sure that everything was ok and that there was no big emergency, but other then that he never asked about anyone in Port Charles. Jason head was swimming with questions, the main one being what had happened in the last five years?

When Jason had decided to leave Sonny hated Ric and visa versa, Carly was in the process of leaving Sonny and Michael had worshiped the ground that Jason walked on. But now Ric was Sonny's "brother", Carly was gone and Michael only had contempt for Jason.

When he had left five years ago Maxie was a child, Elizabeth was married to Ric, Zander was still in love with his sister, and Lucky, Lucky was in the background as the new rookie cop, but now Maxie and Lucky were married, Elizabeth and Zander were married with a family and somehow Zander was a cop and working with Lucky.

His head began to hurt and he pinched the bridge of his nose to relieve some of the pressure. All he had come here to do was a little business, like he had always promised and leave, but no. Now he was becoming sucked back into the drama that was Port Charles. He knew he shouldn't have come back, but he had premised Sonny.

5 Years Earlier

Jason had been gone for a week and hadn't talked to anyone. At this point he had made it as far south as Charleston, South Carolina.. Jason wasn't quit sure what he was going to do, but he knew he needed to contact Sonny and let him know that he was done. It had been something that Jason had been putting off for awhile.

Jason pulled out his cell phone and dialed the all to familiar number of Sonny's penthouse. Jason knew that it was now or never. He had to do this because he owed it to Sonny. He couldn't just leave Sonny out to dry like this, because he was afraid that Sonny might shut down if he didn't know he was ok.

Jason heard the ringing of the other line and hopped that Sonny was there. "What?"

"Sonny?"

"Jason? Where are you man? I went to go check on you in the hospital, just to find out he had gone. Why didn't you wait for me? I would have taken you out of there, you know that."

"I know, but I just needed to leave. Look I don't know when I'll be back or if I'll ever be back, but I figured I owed it to you to tell you."

"Wait, Jason what happened? Why are you not coming back?"

"Sonny I can't be in that damned town without her." Jason wasn't sure if he truly meant that about Courtney or if for some reason he might have meant Elizabeth. After all she was the one he couldn't get out of his head right now. "I just know that it hurts to much."

"But Jason..." Sonny tried to protest.

"If you ever need me, trust that I will come. I'm planning on keeping in touch with Emily, so if you desperately need me you can tell her and she'll relay the message. I don't want to come back unless it's a dyer emergency Sonny. But you have to know I'll be there."

"Hell, Jason I knew that before you even said it out loud. But you have to promise that you'll come. I don't what's going on in your head and I won't pretend to know, but I promise I won't call in less it's life or death."

"That's all I needed to hear. Take care of yourself, Sonny. I mean it you take care of yourself and those boys, and do the right thing, get back with Carly because I know that you two still love each other, and that you deserve to be happy together." Before Sonny had a chance to speak Jason hung up the phone. That was it, all ties were severed and the only one that would know about him would be Emily.

Jason stopped just outside of Sonny's door. He could see threw the slit in the door that Sonny was just laying in the bed not moving. There were so many machines and tubs hooked into him. Sonny looked so weak and helpless. How was it that a strong man like Sonny and succumbed to a vegetated state like this? Jason wondered if he had looked like that when he had been in the hospital.

He quietly opened the door to the room and was walking into the darkened room. The only light on was the on above Sonny's head, it made him look somewhat angelic. Jason stopped just a few feet in front of Sonny's bed when he felt the cold metal at the back of his head and heard the cocking of the gun. "What the hell are you doing here?' Jason heard a man's voice say. 


	5. A Friend In Need

Chapter 5

Michael laid on his bed thinking about how much his life had changed in just one week. A week, had it really only been a week since the accident? Already it felt like a life time ago. So much had changed and it was beginning to take a toile on the teen.

He knew his parents would never win an award for their parenting skills, but that didn't mean he hadn't loved them any less or that he wanted anything bad to happen to them. When he had first heard the news from Ric he refused to believe it. His parents were way too selfish and stubborn to die in a car accident. He hated referring to them in the past tense, especially because his dad was still alive, lying in a hospital bed, but alive none the less. His mom however he could refer to her in the past, because she was gone.

Michael could still hear her voice and her face was still very vivid in his mind. Till the day she died she had still been calling him "Mr. Man", a nickname she had given him when he was just a baby. It was only recently though that he really began to appreciate his mother. She had been helping him with his girl problems. She would come and talk to him about how to treat a girl, and how to even sometimes get the nerve to talk to a girl. How was he going to get threw life without his her?

Michael shook his head to try to get her out. The pain was just to fresh to think about her. As the thought of his mother left his mind a mental picture of his father lying in the hospital bed came into it. Michael had been to the hospital everyday after school since the accident. It shook Michael to the core every time he walked into the room and saw him plugged up to all those machines It was the first time he could ever remember his dad looking so weak and lifeless.

Michael looked around his room in hopes of finding something that distracted him from thought of his parents, but the minute he looked at his desk his eyes took notice of the picture from last Thanksgiving. His family looked happy and whole. Both of his parents had smiles on their faces, his dad was showing off his dimples and his mom's face was glowing like it always did when she smiled. After staring at his parents smiling faces for a minute or so, the smile on his little brother's face caught his eye.

Morgan hadn't yet realized what was going on. He knew that something was wrong he just wasn't sure what. Morgan had been to see Sonny and just kept trying to wake him up, when the man didn't wake up Morgan got mad and told Michael that it wasn't a very funny joke. Morgan also kept asking for his mother. In fact it seemed like almost every hour he was in Michael's room asking when their parents would come home, and every time the little boy did it killed Michael.

The young teen was beginning to feel so alone, as if he had no family left in the world. Sure there was Morgan, but he was so young and Michael had to be strong for the both of them. There was his Aunt Courtney, but he wasn't sure what country she was in right now, and that only left his "Uncle" Ric, who had moved into the penthouse the night of the accident to take care of things. Michael knew that his father had forgiven Ric and that he was now "family", but Michael remembered all the horrible things that Ric had done, and as far as Michael was concerned he didn't trust Ric in the slightest.

There was a soft knock at his bedroom door, time to try and explain to Morgan once again about their parents. Michael got off his bed and made his way to the door. A part of him was so tempted to not open it, but he knew that Morgan was all he had right now and that the little boy only wanted the comfort of his parents. Michael tuned the knob and was shocked by who he saw standing there.

When they were younger they hadn't really known each other, in fact he had only really begun to know his cousin when she had transferred to his school in the seventh grade. That didn't matter now though, because now she was his best friend and his family.

Lesley Lou Spencer had light brown wavy hair that was cut a few inches below her shoulders. She had a small build, but was almost as tall as he was at 5'7 and her blue eyes spoke volumes about the type of person she was. She was dressed in her typical style, a pair of faded blue jeans and a graphic tee from American Eagle, and as always her Birkenstocks. To most guys she was probably very attractive, but seeing as how they didn't live in Alabama, he never thought about her like that. His friends, however, did and would frequently try to get Michael to hook them up, and he had tried but for some reason she wasn't interested.

This had been the first time since the accident she had been by to see him, and despite himself he resented her for not coming by earlier. "What do you want?" He asked as he walked back to his bed and plopped down on his stomach laying his head on his pillows.

Entering the room and closing the door behind her she made her was to his desk and sat down in the chair, removing her shoes and pulling her knees up to her chest. "I came to check on you, to make sure you were ok." She finally said once she was situated.

"It's been a week Lou, what made you come now?" He had turned in the opposite direction of her. He just wasn't in the mood for her company.

"Don't be like that Mikey." She said in a soft tone, "I would have come by if I could." Lulu felt guilty enough without having to be reminded of it. She had her reasons for not coming, but she knew she had hurt him badly by not being there for him.

Getting angry Michael turned to face her. "What stopped you? I could understand you not stopping by, but you didn't even call. God, Lou you're my best friend and you didn't even call me when my mom dies. Just leave."

Still keeping her voice soft and making no effort to leave the room she tried to apologize to him. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you wanted to talk to me. I know it's not the same, but when my mom left I didn't want to be around anybody, not my grandmother, my brothers or even my dad. All I wanted was my mom and I knew that wasn't going to happen." She had a sad look on her face as she spoke about her mother, Laura Spencer. "It took me a long time to get over her leaving, and I just figured the best thing I could do for you was give you time." She made eye contact with her cousin then and saw all the pain in his eyes reflecting back at her, God, how she wished she could take away his pain.

She had done it, somehow like always she had mad him feel better. She was right they both didn't have their mothers, true her mom was still alive somewhere, just barley hanging on to reality, but they were both without them. At least he had his dad. She didn't even have hers anymore. Luke Spencer had skipped town four and half years ago, leaving her in the care of either one of her brothers. But in the end she had chosen not to live with either and caused a big rift in the family by chose to stay in her house, the house she grew up in, with Elizabeth and Alex and their baby girl. In a way it was as if Lulu had the real family that she always wanted.

Michael looked at his cousin and with his anger subsisted he spoke to her in the same soft tone of voice that she had used with him. "I just wished you would have called. I really needed to talk to you."

"I know and I'm sorry," she put a small smile on her face, "but you do know that a phone works both ways? All you had to do was pick it up and dial my number." She was trying to lighten the mood in the room. Despite himself, Michael felt a small smile on his face, how many times had he said those same words to her? Turning serious she spoke again, "so tell me the truth, how do you really feel?"

"I don't know Lou. I mean my mom is dead, my dad is in a coma, my brother doesn't know how much his life has just changed, the psycho has moved into my house, and oh yeah the great and wonderful Jason showed up earlier tonight. So how do you think I feel? Cause I would say I feel like crap."

All Lulu could manage was "Jason's back?" Michael nodded yes in response to her question. She had never really met Jason, everything she knew about him came from stories Michael would tell her and every now and then Emily or Elizabeth would say something about him. From everything she heard he seemed like a pretty ok guy, but she also knew that Michael had been very hurt when he had left town five years ago. "I bet Ric is happy about that."

"Thrilled" Michael said sarcastically.

"How do you feel about him being back?" she asked as she laid her head on her knees.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him and five years and now I'm supposed to be happy he's back because he wants to help my family. He left and I don't know...I just really don't know how to feel about him now."

The room was quite for a few minutes. "Have you eaten dinner yet?" she asked him finally.

"No. I haven't had much of an appetite lately. Why?" He knew she was up to something.

"Elizabeth's parents are in town and we're having a family dinner at Kelly's, and I was..."

Michael cut her off. "No! I don't want to be around people right now. Besides I'm not family."

"Whatever, Michael Alan Corinthos, you know that Elizabeth and Alex have always treated you like family."

"I'm not in the mood Lou. I can see it now, I walk in and the first thing I'll get is a speech from Lucky and Alex on how crime doesn't pay and that I should walk away from my family the first chance I get."

"They won't do that I promise. They know that you are probably going threw a rough time right now, and they both know what it's like to loose a parent. Elizabeth needs the support of her family right now." She knew she had just delivered a low blow to him. Michael had had a sweet spot for Elizabeth for as long as Lulu could remember. He said he admired her and that when he was younger she had helped him, Lulu had always been curious about what that meant, but never pressed him for answers. "And you know the girls love seeing you."

Michael still just laid on his bed make no movements. It was time to play dirty, giving herself puppy dog eyes and making her bottom lip stick out she got off of his chair and made her way to the foot of his bed. "Please. Please, Mikey. Please with sugar on top. Pleeeeeeeeeeease." She was half begging, half whining.

In response to her badgering, Michael threw his pillow at her. Caught off guard by the heaving pillow, Lulu found herself falling off the bed and hitting the floor, hard. Michael began to laugh uncontrollably at her clumsiness. It had been the first time he had laughed in a week and now he couldn't stop laughing at her. Lulu merely tossed the pillow back at him as she sat in a sitting position on the floor. She tried to give him an angry face, but his laughter was catechist and she found herself laughing just as hard as he was.

"Guess what?" she said still laughing, "Just for that you have to come with me."

Michael wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes. "Lou, I know what you're trying to do, but I'm still not going. I just don't want to be around people right now, especially since none of them really liked my mom or dad."

"You're wrong, Elizabeth adores your dad, and she always said that the only person she liked to fight with was Carly, because Carly never held back. And Alex was friends with Carly once, and Lucky's family."

"Lulu" he tried to protest again.

"Too late you're going and that's final. Now I'm going to go get Morgan ready, because I'm not leaving him here alone with Ric. When I get back you better be ready to go." She pulled herself off the floor and walked out the door and in her socked feet ran down the hall to Morgan's room. This was going to be a long night, Michael thought as he put on his shoes. He grabbed her shoes before closing the door to his room and going to his little brother's room.

They were headed down the stairs just a few minutes later, Morgan being carried by Lulu and Michael at her side. Ric was on the phone talking in code to someone, but the two teens and little boy could have cared less. When they were about ready to head out the door Ric stopped them. "Where are you off to?" he asked putting that fake charming smile on his face.

Lulu had never liked him, and she tensed at Michael's side when he looked at them with that smile. She knew all the stories about Ric, and all the awful things he had done to just about everyone in town, mainly about the things he had done to Elizabeth.

Michael had felt Lulu's tension and putting his hand on her arm he spoke for the both of them. "We're going out to dinner. Morgan and I will be back later." Michael extended his arm so he was leading Lulu out of the door by the small of her back.

"Take one of the boys with you." Ric told him. "The last thing I want is for anything to happen to you or your brother, which would kill your father when he gets out of the hospital."

Michael felt sick to his stomach, he hated it when Ric tried to play the concerned uncle, hell he just hated Ric. "Fine we'll take Max." Michael said looking back at Ric from the doorway.

"Max has been let go, so have a few others, just take Adam there with you."

"Why were they let go? Who gave you the authority to fire any of my father's employees? "Michael asked angrily. He knew his father wasn't going to like this, after all Max, and Johnny and Francis and many others had been with his dad for years, much longer then the prick standing before him.

"That's none of your business. Just do what I say." Michael stormed out the door and headed to the elevator where Lulu and Morgan were waiting. Ric had fallowed them and was just watching them, knowing fully well that the girl was uncomfortable around him. When the elevator door opened the teens went to move, but before the doors closed Ric spoke. Looking into Lulu's face "Tell Elizabeth I send my love." With that the door closed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It hadn't been the first time he had felt cold steel against his temple and Jason was pretty sure it wouldn't be the last time. If he had been thinking at the time Jason would have put his gun in his waist holster, but he didn't feel comfortable bringing into the hospital so it was in the storage compartment of his bike. He cursed himself for not being prepared.

"I asked you a question, what the hell are you doing here?" Jason being a man of few words said nothing. "Answer me." The man with gun said frustrated.

Turning to face his attacker Jason said "It's none of your business what….." he stopped when you saw who he was talking to "Francis?"

"Jason? What are you doing here?" Francis asked lowering his gun. It had been a sad day to say the lease when the guys realized that Jason was gone and more then likely not returning. He had always had so much respect for the younger man who was nothing less then a natural at his job.

Jason motioning to Sonny's bed "I came the moment I head about the accident." He herd Francis scoff "Is there something I don't know?"

"I'm guessing that since you've been gone for awhile there is a lot you don't know." Looking down at his watch, "Max should be here in a few minutes. When he gets here we'll go get a cup of coffee and I'll fill you in on whatever you want to know." Jason just shook his head in agreement as he stared at his once close friend. "I'll give you some time alone with him." And with that Francis closed the door to Sonny's hospital room.

Jason looked down at Sonny laying still in his hospital bed. "You son of a bitch" he cursed "I have all these questions and no one to answer them."

Max stuck his head in the door just then. "Jason hey man. Francis wanted me to tell you when ever you're ready so is he."

"Thanks Max." Jason said to the body guard as he walked to the door. "I think I'm ready now."


	6. Family Dinners

Chapter Six

The walk to Kelly's had been a quiet one, but now that they had just walked into the courtyard she had to break the silence, so Elizabeth stopped and told Lucky "I didn't go looking for him."

"I never said you did." He said turning to face her.

"I was on the docks thinking and he just showed up. I had no idea that he was back."

"Elizabeth I didn't say anything about Jason."

"Just promise me you won't tell Alex. I need to be the one to tell him, and I don't feel like doing it right now."

"I promise that I won't tell him tonight."

"Thank you." At of all the things in her life Elizabeth was very grateful for this man. In the last couple of years he had become her best friend, well second to Alex anyway. "Can we just take a minute?" Smiling, "I need to prepare myself before I see them." Shaking his head knowingly Lucky understood.

Elizabeth took in a deep breath and wondered what had made her decide to invite her parents to come for a visit. She had never been close to them, could barely tolerate them really, but she knew that her Grams wouldn't be around forever and she wanted her girls to know where they had come from. She just wished that Alex had a family for the girls to know, because his family was half of them as well.

She was searching through her purse for a handkerchief when she came upon a picture that had only been taken this afternoon of the new baby. She had news for everyone that she just couldn't wait to share.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Tell me again why we decided to come to Port Charles, because from where I'm sitting I would have had a better time in London with Sarah." Clair Webber said to her husband, Jeff.

"We've only been here for a few hours, Clair and besides how often do we get to see our grandchildren?"

Jeff loved his wife, he had from the moment they met but sometimes she really just didn't get it. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. She had shoulder length blond hair and sky blue eyes. Out of all their children Sarah looked the most like her. He knew that Clair favored Sarah and the she more then likely always would, but they were here for their grandchildren. In the 5 years that Abby had been alive they had only seen her at the most 3 times and this was their first time meeting Cameron. Jeff wasn't as young as he used to be and he was starting to realize that although a career was important family really needed to come first.

That was the one thing that he regretted the most in life, that with his own children they hadn't come first. Steven had for the most part; Jeff guessed it had been because he was the first born and only son. Sarah had too. She was Clair's little pet and Jeff's little girl. When it was the four of them the family felt complete to him and to be honest they had not planned on having any more children, but then Elizabeth had come along. He knew now, looking back, that they never put her first or for that matter even second or third on their list. He wasn't sure why but he knew that with her they had done everything wrong.

"She's not even here. How is it that after all this time and two children she still manages to be late for everything? I'm telling you that if we would have gone to London Sarah would have never left our side or been late for anything."

"Clair….." Jeff said in a warning manner.

"So Dr. Webber how was you plane ride?" Elizabeth's husband Alex asked.

"It was a long trip and we're just happy to be on the ground again." He replied to the young man.

Jeff didn't know why but he didn't like Alexander Lewis. It was his right after all as a father to not like the man his youngest daughter was involved with. Or maybe he didn't have that right. Maybe he lost that right when she was a little girl and he choose everyone and everything else other then her. How could he have been so blind as to not see that she mattered?

He watched as his youngest grandchild squirmed in her father's arms. She looked like the perfect combination of his daughter and her husband. She was dressed in a cute sundress and her hair was in braided pigtails. He knew that out of the two girls she was the more girly of the two. Jeff then looked to the seat next to Alex and observed Abby for a few moments. She was still dressed in her T-ball uniform and had a smudge of dirt on her left cheek. Abby smiled up at her grandfather and Jeff saw the spitting image of Elizabeth at that age. How he wished he could go back in time and change so many things about his life. Well there was no use in looking back, only looking forward. He decided from that moment on he would be a constant in his grandchildren's life's. He would be the type of grandfather children bragged about having.

"Well, Alexander your friend Lucas has been gone for almost twenty minutes and he has yet to bring back Lizzie. Tell me again why you sent him and didn't just go yourself?" Clair asked Alex.

Alex considered himself a patient man, but his mother-in-law was really testing that. "Lucky, went because I didn't want to leave the girls here by themselves. The docks are not that far away and I'm sure they are on their way back as we speak."

As if on cue Elizabeth and Lucky walked through the front doors of Kelly's. Alex took one look at his wife and knew that she had been crying, though he wasn't sure why. She put on a smile though when she looked at her parents. He watched as they exchanged uncomfortable pleasantries. Alex felt bad for Elizabeth; he knew that she had always wanted to be close to her parents.

"I'm so sorry for being late, Mother." Elizabeth said as she hugged her mother. "I lost track of time." The pleasant smile that was on her face turned to a real genuine smile when she saw her children. She leaned down took Abby's baseball cap of the top of her head and gave her a kiss on the cheek that didn't have dirt on it. "How did your game go?" she asked her as she moved on to give Cameron a kiss on her cheek.

Abby's eyes lit up as she began to talk about her game. "Mama, you should have seen it. I hit the ball into the out field. I made it all the way to second base before someone got the ball. Billy hit the ball next and then I made it all the way home. Can you believe it I actually got to go all the way home this time." She paused and took a breath. "Guess what else happened?" she asked but didn't wait for anyone to answer. "I caught the ball and got someone out."

"She got to play second base today." Alex told everyone

"Well, I feel bad that I missed all the excitement." Elizabeth told Abby

"That's ok Mommy, we forgive you." Cam told her mom, which made everyone have a good laugh, well almost everyone. Clair didn't even crack a smile at her granddaughter. Elizabeth wished her mother would have lightened up by now. _So much for small_ _miracles_ she thought.

The bells above the door rang signaling new arrivals and from where Cam was positioned on her father's lap she had the perfect view as Michael, Morgan and Lulu walking into Kelly's. "Lulu!" she yelled as if she hadn't seen her in forever, even though she had just seen her at the ball game.

"Hey Cammy!" Lulu replied back to her as she lifted her from Alex's lap. "I hope you don't mind but I brought along Michael and Morgan. They needed to get out of the house."

"Great some family meal this is turning into. I'm so glad we decided to come to Port Charles." Clair muttered under her breath. Ignoring her mother's comments, Elizabeth stood from her seat and walked over to Michael and gave him a hug that told him how sorry she was and that if he needed anything all he had to do was ask. She then bent down and did the same to Morgan.

"Lou said that it would be ok if we tagged along, but if you want us to go then we will leave." Michael said in a small voice.

Alex stood and put his hand on Michael's shoulder. "Don't be silly, Mike. This is a family dinner and you and Morgan are part of the family."

"Michael, Morgan. I would like you to meet my parents Jeff and Clair Webber. Mom, Dad these are Lucky and Lulu's cousins Michael and Morgan Corinthos." Elizabeth said as she made introductions.

Without even acknowledging the boys Clair spoke. "Can we eat now? I think that we have waited long enough and I am quite hungry." Her comment earned a dirty look from her husband but she ignored him as well.

"I want a hot dog." Cam told her parents from her spot in Lulu's arms. For the last few months that was all she would eat. Breakfast, lunch and dinner all she wanted was hot dogs. Alex kept saying it was just a phase and Elizabeth only hoped so because to be honest she was sick of fixing them.

"You know Cammy if you're not careful you're going to turn into a giant hot dog." Lulu told her. In response all Cam did was give her a weird look. Lulu took Cam to her seat and sat down as everyone began to give the waitress their order. Jeff sat at the head of the table. Clair was to his left. Lucky sat next to her and Morgan sat in between him and Lulu. Michael was at the other head of the table next to Lulu and Cam sat across from Lulu. Next to Cameron was her dad and Abby sat in between her parents. To anyone who didn't know this group they really looked like a loving family having dinner out.

This was how Nikolas and Emily found everyone when they walked into the diner. Ever since Lulu chose to live with Alex and Elizabeth he had barley spoken two words to his half siblings. Emily, being the kind person that she was, smiled and gave a nod hello to everyone at the table.

It made Elizabeth sad to think that her one time best friend had turned her back on the people she cared about because Nikolas couldn't get over the fact that he wasn't who Lulu wanted to live with and that Lucky supported her decision to live with them. How Nikolas could treat his family this way should have surprised Elizabeth but then she caught site of her mother and realized that your family was the one that had the power to hurt you the most.

"Emily let's just get our food to go. I forgot that they would let anyone eat here." Nikolas said.

"Way to go to not talk to your family." Lucky said to his brother

"I don't have any family here in Port Charles." Nikolas replied in voice that said he was better then everyone in that room.

"Oh, for pity sake!" Clair exclaimed. "I did not come here to deal with your friend's drama Lizzie." She turned to Jeff "I told you we should have gone to London. Sarah's friends have more class then these people and they would never air their privet business in public like this."

"Clair….." Jeff began in a tone that told her he wasn't very happy with her behavior.

"Oh please Jeff. She hasn't grown up yet, that much is obvious by whom she chooses to associate herself with. My God, just look around the table. A hood turned cop is her husband. Children of a mob lord…."

Elizabeth having quite enough of her mother's tantrum stood just then "Mother, be quit! How dare you come here and treat people this way. It's one thing to say things to me or to say things to Alex, a grown man, but I will not have you talk that way to Michael and Morgan. Do you have any idea what they have gone through this past week?" Her mother's silence was all the answer she needed. "They actually lost a mother who cared about them. Who didn't treat them like dirt under her shoes." Clair's face was in shock over how her daughter was behaving.

Elizabeth, still in the mood to tell people off then turned her attention to Emily and Nikolas. "And you two grow up and act your age. So what your sister wanted to stay in the house she grew up in, the house that she was raised in by your mother. My goodness could you blame her for not wanting to go live in that dungeon you call a home?" now pointing and Emily "and you, just because the man you love tells you to do something doesn't mean that you have to do it, especially when you know that it is the wrong thing to do. Grow a backbone and stand up for yourself."

Feeling satisfied with her work Elizabeth sat back down in her chair and took a fork full of her mashed potatoes and put it in her mouth. Everyone in the dinner however was still in shock. Never had the sweet Elizabeth Webber Lewis exploded like this.

Nikolas, being very angry that he had been put in his place by Elizabeth, grabbed Emily's hand and rushed out of the diner. Had Elizabeth been a man she would have been put in her place physically, but he would never hit a woman and a pregnant one at that.

"Why I never." Her mother finally spoke. "We did not raise you with such ill manners, Lizzie."

"You didn't raise me, Steven did." Elizabeth said back to her mother

"Excuse me? I don't believe I heard you right. Did you just say that Steven raised you? Because I do believe that it was your father and I who put a roof on your head, clothes on your back and food in your stomach."

"Oh yes you provided for me as any parent should, but it was Steven who taught me how to be a decent person. It was Steven that taught me right from wrong. It was Steven who believed in me. It was Steven that made me into the person I am today. So yes, it was Steven that raised me." Elizabeth shot back to her mother.

"If your brother was alive to see you now…"

"Don't you dare go there. You have no right to talk about my brother at all. You never loved him because he wasn't yours. You treated him almost as bad as you treated me. Why, because we weren't your precious Sarah? My god do you even remember that it was 12 years ago today that Steven died in that car accident?"

"How dare you speak to me this way. Now I remember why we sent you off in the first place."

"Cause you are horrible parents that didn't want to be reminded of your mistake."

Jeff had sat in silence the whole argument but with that hurtful comment he had to speak up "That's enough the both of you. Everyone just needs to calm down. Lizzie, I think that your mother and I are going to leave and go back to our hotel for tonight. We will be by the house tomorrow afternoon. Let's go Clair."

Without a word Clair Webber was out of her seat and out the door. Jeff on the other hand kissed both of his granddaughters and said his goodbyes before he too walked out the door.

The table was in a dead silence "Does Grandmother Clair have hormones like mama?" Abby asked her father. "Cause that's what mommy says she has when she gets mad like that."

"Grandma's don't have hormones." Morgan said to his friend. "They're too old." The children made the mood light again at the table and gave the adults a smile.

Elizabeth being put in a better mood looked at Abby "You never told me who won the game." This made Abby smile a big smile and she began to tell everyone at the table all about her game and how her team destroyed the other team.


	7. Business Meetings

Chapter Seven:

The ride with Francis over to get coffee had been a quite one. Jason wasn't in the mood for small talk and he was glad that Francis got the hint. He still had so many questions running through his head. He couldn't believe that in only five years everything had been turned upside down. As they pulled into the parking lot of Kelly's Jason wondered if this was the best place to talk.

As if Francis could sense what Jason was thinking "We use the old club downstairs. Nobody goes down there anymore it's as if everyone has forgotten it's even there." Jason fallowed Francis down to the Cellar and found that this once popular hangout of Port Charles had indeed been forgotten.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Francis asked as he took a seat at a table in the middle of the room.

"I just want answers". Jason told the blond man as he too took a seat at that same table. As his butt met the wooden seat, both men heard someone barreling down the stairs. Both men being highly trained were standing and had their guns drawn before the intruder even made it to the bottom step.

Started and a bit surprised the intruder said "Jesus, Francis put the damn gun away it's just me." He looked over at the other man and gave a nod in resignation "Jason."

Jason lowered his gun as he took in the Irishman that had just descended the stairs. Here in this room now he realized he was going to get the answers he had been looking for because he trusted almost no one as much as he trusted Johnny and Francis.

Johnny joined Jason and Francis at the table but not before going to the bar and pouring himself a glass of whiskey. "So what did I miss?" Johnny asked as he took his seat.

"Nothing you idiot we had just sat down when you showed up. I thought you were going to already be down here when we arrived." Francis told his friend annoyed.

Taking a sip of his drink, "I was but the show upstairs kept me a little longer then I thought it would." Johnny said in explanation.

Still annoyed, Francis asked "What are you talking about?"

Smiling Johnny explained further. "Elizabeth and her family are up there eating right and Cassadine walks in with your sister." He said looking at Jason. "Anyway so Cassadine walks in and of course is acting all superior and turning up his nose to everyone and having a little argument with his brother about some family drama. Then out of nowhere Elizabeth stands up and starts telling Cassadine where he can shove it, tells Emily to grow a backbone and act her age. Then Elizabeth and her mother get in it. Elizabeth was up there saying some pretty harsh things. I didn't think she had it in her." He finished amusingly

"You never had to break up one of her and Carly's fights." Francis told his friend.

Jason who had been quite throughout the whole of Johnny's story sat at the table confused. Emily and Elizabeth were best friends, when did that change? Was it when Elizabeth and Zander got together? That couldn't be it, Emily was with Nikolas.

Jason had called Emily every week since he had left, but their conversations never lasted more than two minutes and they mostly consisted of Jason telling her he was alive and asked if anyone needed him. He realized then that he had no idea who his sister was. When did that happen?

Noting the confused look on Jason's face, Francis decided it was time to get down to business. "Why are you back?"

Turning an icy glare to Francis, Jason replied "what do you mean why am I back?"

"It's been five years Jason," Johnny put in, wanting to help his friend "Why come back now?"

"Emily called and told me about Sonny and Carly. I came to help. I don't know; help run the business or something. I just felt like right here is where I'm supposed to be."

"What do you even know about the business anymore?" Francis asked.

"I practically ran this business once." Jason said trying to defend himself.

"Look Jase," Johnny began, "a lot has changed since you have been gone. This isn't the same business you left behind. Hell, that's not even the same Sonny anymore."

"What are you talking about Johnny?"

Francis answered for his friend, "He's right this isn't the same business you left five years ago, Jason."

"How much could have changed in our business? Shipments come in, shipments go out and if someone is standing in your way you take care of them." Was Jason's reply

"It's not so much the business its self that's changed" Francis said. With a sigh he continued "It's more Sonny and his organization that have changed."

"You can say that again." Johnny said agreeably.

Jason couldn't figure it out. How had Sonny changed? How much could the organization have changed? None of this was making sense and it was giving Jason one big headache. What the hell had been going on here the last five years?

Jason gave a stone cold stare to Francis and said simply, "Explain."

"Where do you want him to start?" Johnny asked sarcastically. He earned a glare from both Francis and Jason.

"After you left Jase, everything seemed to be going fine. Alcazar bad backed off for the most part, he seemed more occupied with his South American dealings. Hell, when he and Carly moved down there we thought that was the end of him.

"Wait Carly went to South America with Lorenzo Alcazar? When did that happen? And what about the boys?

"Yeah Carly shacked up with Alcazar down there like a month after you left. They were down there for like two years." Johnny informed.

Again Johnny received a glare from Francis. Turning back to Jason, after he realized his glares were having no effect on Johnny, Francis said, "The boys stayed here, after much arguing. In the summers they would go down there and visit with Carly."

"I'm surprised she agreed to that" Jason said.

"She really didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Sonny had some dirt on her and he pretty much blackmailed her to take the deal. Plus do you really see Sonny for one second letting Alcazar take his kids."

Ignoring Johnny, Jason asked Francis "You said two years? She lived with him for two years in South America?"

"I said it" Johnny said finishing off the last of his drink.

Once again the Irishman was ignored by the other two men in the room. "Yeah, Carly came back after those two years to be with the boys." Francis answered Jason's question.

"And Sonny, don't forget she came back for Sonny too" Johnny said as he got up to fix himself another drink. Johnny could feel both Jason and Francis's eyes on his back. "What?" he asked innocently. "You both know that Sonny was like crack to Carly. One taste was never enough for her, she was addicted."

"Anyway," Francis continued "Sonny was still with Sam…."

"Slut" came the comment from the drinking Irishman.

"Sonny wasn't taking Carly back and Alcazar had come to town to get her back" Francis said still trying to explain to Jason

"Only he didn't come alone. He brought some friends." Johnny injected

"Apparently, Alcazar though that his friends would help him take down Sonny and then he could get Carly back." Francis said

Jason wanted to know "what friends?"

"The Zacchara's" Francis replied.

"That Anthony Zacchara is one crazy son of a bitch, and his daughter, Claudia is even crazier than her old man." Johnny said, once again putting in his two cents when they were not asked for.

Jason had heard of the Zaccharas. They ran their organization with an iron fist and had no tolerance for anyone standing in their way. They were also known drug pushers, nothing like Sonny and Jason.

"So think about it Alcazar and the Zaccharas working together, the carnage they brought to this town was unheard of. It really did look like Sonny had met his match" Francis told Jason.

"Till he made a deal with the devil" Johnny said.

Giving Johnny his best I'm-pissed-that-you-keep-interrupting-me-and-if-you-do-it-again-I'm-going-to-punch-you-in-the-face glares Francis tried to clarify to Jason what Johnny had meant "Ric came to Sonny and told him he know how to bring down Zacchara, and he wanted to help."

Before Jason or Johnny, for that matter could interrupt him, Francis continued, "Turned out that Ric's father, Trevor Lancing, worked for Zacchara and Ric had a grudge against his old man and need Sonny to help him take him down."

"Don't forget that Ric and Sam were sleeping together. Ric just wanted to make sure that he could get into her bed whenever he wanted." Johnny said as he finished his second drink.

"Sonny not only excepted help, but he excepted help from Ric, who was sleeping with Sonny's girlfriend. Do I have it straight?" Jason asked his two friends

"Right" said Francis

"You got it" Johnny told him, "but don't worry about the whole Ric and Sam affair because Sonny was already sticking it to some magazine editor."

"So when did Carly and Sonny get married again. Emily said they were husband and wife when they died." Jason asked

"Jase," Johnny began "we're only on year three; you still have two more years to catch up on."

"So Sonny agreed to work with Ric to get rid of their common problem. Ric's pretty devious too, framed Alcazar for Zacchara's murder. Alcazar's sitting up in Attica as we speak." Francis said still trying to stay on track with filling Jason in.

"Too bad they didn't do anything with Zacchara's psycho daughter." Johnny said.

"We haven't seen hide or hair of her since the trial." Francis informed Jason.

"Does she worry you?" Jason asked the boys

"No. she's crazy, but she's not powerful enough on her own to bring any real damage." Francis said.

"How did you get rid of Ric's father? You said that was why Ric came to Sonny in the first place."

"Simply put," Johnny said "Ric put a bullet in him. He made it look like Zacchara did that. Like we said he's one devious son of a bitch."

"After that Sonny made Ric his right hand guy. Ric of course is hungry for power so he took on Alcazar and Zacchara territory and gave it to Sonny. Now they run it together as 'brothers'" Francis said.

"I still don't see where Carly and Sonny got married?" Jason said.

"Right so anyway, with Ric being second in command, he started implementing new policies. He pushes drugs, weapons, women, just about anything illegal in through the territory. Sonny doesn't care cause he has all the power and all the money he could ever want. He just tells Ric to make sure his name isn't tied to it in anyway. Like I said Jason not the same organization."

Jason was dumbfounded. Sonny would never allow drugs and women to be shipped through their territory. Yeah Sonny was a scum bag, but he was the type of scum bag with a heart, wasn't he?

"Another player came into the mix after Zacchara and Alcazar were taken care of. James Craig, he's one ruthless mother." Johnny put in. "Hell, he took the Metrocourt hostage during the Nurse's ball last year. Blew the place sky high."

"Yeah he's the reason Sonny and Carly had to get married again. Craig had some evidence on Sonny linking him to all of Ric's new business ventures, Carly was called as a witness and you know the whole rule on testifying on your spouse."

"Is Craig still around?" Jason asked

"Oh, yeah. He's like a cockroach; we can't seem to get rid of the guy." Johnny said as yet again he decided to refill his glass for the third time.

"If you don't watch it you stupid Mic you're going to get drunk off your ass and won't be any good to anyone." Francis said eagerly as he Johnny poured more whiskey.

"You're just pissed cause your candy ass can't hold your liquor, unlike us Irish Mics." Johnny took a long sip of his drink "Just like mother's milk."

"Would you two shut the hell up" Jason spat at them "My head hurts enough as it is trying to figure all this out. So explain the accident."

"What accident? The lines to Sonny's breaks were cut and whoever cut them made sure that both Sonny and Carly were in that car." Francis said

"You think it's this Craig guy?" Jason asked

"Could be or Ric or a number of others" replied Francis

"My money's on Ric. This would just be so perfect for him. With Sonny out of the way Ric gets the organization. Look at the changes he made since Sonny was put in the hospital" Johnny said. He turned all his attention to Jason "Do you know that prick had the balls to accuse Francis, Max and me of this? He said we were traitors."

"That's why we've been taking shifts at Sonny hospital room. If Ric really is behind this we have to make sure he doesn't get to Sonny when he can't defend himself. I may not like the Sonny that's around now, but I still remember the early years and I figure he still deserves some of my loyalty." Francis finished.

Jason took in the two men before him and just wondered out loud "So what now?"


End file.
